Sensory Stimulation & DragSox

In the last five years, DragSox have emerged as one of the most effective resistance training tools for competitive swimmers. The key factors that contributed to DragSox’ success are simplicity and effectiveness. DragSox are simple in that they work with the body’s natural movement, maintaining technique and creating drag. By overcoming the extra resistance created by DragSox, swimmers develop swimming-specific strength. This in turn results in a faster swim. It’s incredibly effective.

There is another benefit of DragSox that you might not have been aware of but which just as important—sensory stimulation.

If you ask swimmers what they like most about DragSox, they will probably tell you that it’s the feeling of speed, power and lightness they experience immediately after removing DragSox. One obvious reason for the speed, power and lightness is the disappearance of extra drag created by DragSox. Another less obvious explanation is that DragSox stimulate sensory receptors on swimmers feet.

Similar to Sensory Mitts, DragSox wave slightly to and fro across the feet in accord with each phase of the kick, sensitizing the sensory receptors as they touch the skin. When you take off DragSox, the sensory receptors on your feet are highly stimulated, which in turn greatly enhances the feel for the water. The disappearance of extra drag combined with enhanced feel for water enable you to swim faster and more efficiently.